Canadas 1960s: The Ironies of Identity in a Rebellious Era

When we think of Canadian identity today and the major historical events and processes that helped to construct that identity, the 1960s usually registers only tangentially and not front and center where it really should be. That is what Bryan D. Palmer has attempted to do in this volume, to show that our own ambivalence in what defines us as Canadians is a direct result of the identity crises (and there were many) of the 1960s.

First off, I do want to mention that overall I really enjoyed the book but at over 400 pages, the book includes about 200 pages of information that I would categorize as background information (diefen-dollars, Marshall McLuhan, Ali vs Chuvalo). That is to say, half of the book does not directly contribute to Palmer's arguments but help to contextualize his later, stronger claims.

Having said that, there are some very strong chapters in the book, mostly found at the end. First is the breakdown of student radicalism, evidenced by the many campus protests across the country such as at SFU, and in Quebec. Second, is Palmer's lengthy analysis into the so-called Quiet Revolution and its many nuances, a fusion of anti-racism, nationalism, Marxism, and anti-colonialism, embodied in Vallieres and the FLQ movement. Finally, Palmer discusses the Red Revolution, the attempt by aboriginal peoples to reclaim their heritage and end the paternalism and unequal relationship that existed between aboriginal and white society. The book is very well researched and the historical questions Palmer confronts us with are relevant and timely. He ends the book by asking this question: "Is national identity really what we need?"

In my opinion, the 1960s represents all that we celebrate today as the cornerstones of Canadian society. Multiculturalism, universal healthcare, and the welfare state. It was the moment that Canada grew up and finally shed its "British past" full of the injustices and inequalities of empire to become a fairer and more just society. It is precisely because of those core values we all believe in, abstract and intangible, which makes it so hard to define. Thus, Canada as an imagined community is distinct from other nation-states which define themselves primarily by their distinct culture, or a long territorial history, or a revolution, or a great imperial domain -- and is instead a construction of social values.

This is an important historical text for anyone studying contemporary Canadian history. Palmer's analysis is not only insightful but very well-researched.